Conveyer-chain.



No. 875,248. I PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907. J; DIBRDORPF & W. W. WILLSON.

GONVEYER GHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7;1906.

Summon:

THE NORRIS PETERS 0a., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

JOSEPH DIERDORFF AND WILLIAM W. WILLSON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS,BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORA- TIONOF OHIO.

CONVEYER- CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed April 7,1906. Serial No. 310.509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JosEPH DIERDORFF and WILLIAM W. WILLsoN, citizensof the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklinand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConveyer-Chains, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

In the use of drive and conveyer chains of the type wherein the linksare formed of a series of independent side bars connected by pintles,which latter often serve as the supports or axles for Wheels or rollers,much difliculty has been experienced in securing a satisfactory meansfor holding the pintles in place and preventing them from moving endwisein-their seats.

Our invention has for its object to produce a locking means for thepintles of this type of chain.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a short section of a conveyer chain providedwith our invention. Fig. 2 is a side or edge View of the partsrepresented in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 represent two different styles ofpintles adapted to be used in connection with ourimprovements. Fig. 5 isa face view of one form of locking washer embodying our invention. Fig.6 is an edge view of the same when ready to be put in place. Figs. 7, 8and 9 are face views of other forms of the invention. Fig. 10 is an edgeview of the locking washer shown in Fig. 9 When ready to be applied to achain.

In the drawings A refers to the side bars of the chain, B the connectingpintles, C wearing sleeves or bushings mounted upon the pintles, and Dwheels or rollers arranged between the side bars at the joints of thechain, and supported upon the wearing sleeves, these parts being of anyusual or well known construction. Each pintle is preferably formed withan enlarged head I) at one end, and is of a length to extend entirelyacross the chain so that when its head is in engagement with the outerface of a side bar on one side of the chain, its opposite end projects alittle beyond the outer face of the bar at the other side. The pintle,near the end opposite the head 5, is formed with a neck or stem b ofreduced size, which may be produced by slotting or cutting away thepintle on opposite sides, as represented in Fig. 3, or by means of acircumferential groove as repre' sented in Fig. 4.

The means which we have invented for preventing endwise movements of thepintles in their seats consists of washers or plates of relatively thinmetal, one of these being used in connection with each pintle.

We have shown several forms of locking washers which while differing indetail have many features in common.

Referring to the form of our invention illustrated in detail in Figs. 5and 6, and at the left hand ends of Figs. 1 and 2, E designates thelocking washer or plate considered as a whole. It is preferably ofcircular outline and is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 2,the opposite side edges of which are preferably parallel and arranged ata distance apart substantially equal to the diameter of the neck of thepintle. When the locking washer is in place the neck of the pintleoccupies this aperture, the washer being confined between the side bar Aand the head I) of the pintle just outside the neck 6 In order to permitthe Washer to be applied to the neck of the pintle, behind the head I),we construct it so that it shall have two bendable wings 3, 3, arrangedadjacent to the central aperture 2, and adapted when bent out of thecommon plane of the washer to open or give access to the aperture, andwhen bent into the plane of the washer to close the aperture. TheseWings are formed by a slit 4 extending from one end of the'aperture 2 tothe periphery of the washer and other slits 5, 5, extending from theedges of the aperture, at the end from which the slits 4 extends, inopposite directions toward but not quite to the edge of the washer. Thedirections of the slits 4 and 5 are preferably at right angles to eachother. The wings 3, formed by cutting or splitting the washer asdescribed, may be bent outward, along the dotted lines 6, Fig. 5, thusproducing an opening from the outside into the aperture 2 of a sizesufficient to permit the washer to be slipped over the exposed end ofthe pintle, and the neck 5 seated in the aperture. Then by forcing downthe wings into the common plane of the washer and against the face ofthe side bar, the aperture is closed so that the washer cannot beaccidentally removed, while it, in turn, holds the pintle in place andagainst longitudinal movement. The form of washer we have just describedis particularly adapted for use in connection with a pintle such asillustrated in Fig. 3, although it could of course be employed inconnection with one in which the neck is formed by means of acircumferential groove as in Fig.4.

The form of locking washer represented in Fig. 7 is quite similar tothat represented in Fig. 5 and just described, but differs in that theslit, 4., extending from the end of the aperture'does-not reach quite tothe edge of] the plate, but instead joins a slit' 7 at right anglesthereto and parallel with the slits 5. In this case the wings3 areformed by bending along the dotted-lines6", 6. The washer just describedisapplied in a mannersimilar to the one shown in Fig. 5 and actsinasimilar manner. In'both forms of our invention thus far described theapertures 2 have been approximately oblong in shape, conforming to thecross-sectional shape of the neck of a pintle formed asshown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 8 we show a form of locking washer adapted to be used inconnection with a pintle the neck 6 of which is of cylindrical shape. Inthis washer the pintle aperture 2 is circular in outline and issurrounded by a set of bendable'wings-8'formed by a set of-slits 9radiating from the aperture. Thesewings may be bent along the dottedlines 10 so as to stand up or out from the face of the washer withtheresult that the pintle aperture is enlarged sufficiently to permit thewasher to be'passed over the exposed end of the pintle. of the side barA the wings may be forced back into position, by a hammer or othersuitable tool, when their inner ends will take under the head b and sosecure the washer in place.

Theform of our inventionillustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 approaches morenearly the forms shown in Figs. 5 and 7 than it'does that in Fig. 8,although in some respectsit'resem bles the latter. The wings 11 areopposite the straight sides of the aperture 2 and are formed by slittingthe washer at 12 and bending along the dotted lines 13. The manner ofapplying and securing the washer in place is similar to that describedin connection with the form shown in Fig. 8, the wings 11 being forceddown under the head I) after the washer has been placed over the end ofthe pintle and against the side bar. It is sometimes found desirable totransversely curve or bend the entire washer'as represented in Fig. 10to facilitate its application to the chain, it being flattened outbypressure applied to a suitable tool when put upon the pintle.

It will be observed that in both forms of the invention illustrated inFigs. 8 and 9 when the wings are bent'out of the plane of" the washer asa'whole they are also bent When inplace against theface away from thecenter of the aperture, in that way enlarging the latter; and that whenthe wings are forced down into the plane of the washer, the latter beingin place upon a pintle, the ends of the wings are forced to enter theneck behind the head I).

What we claim is 1. The combination with a chain having side bars andconnecting pintles, the exposed ends of the pintles being formed withreduced necks, of securing washers, each slotted to engage with the neckof a pintle to prevent endwise movement thereof, and provided withbendable parts lying alongside of the slot and arranged to be forcedinto the neck of a pintle to prevent the disengagement of the washerfrom the pintle by transverse movements of the former, substantially asset'forth.

2. The-combination with a chain having side bars and connectingpintles,the expose ends ofthe pintle being formed with reduced necks, ofsecuring washers each formed with a central aperture adapting it toengage with the neck of a pintle and prevent endwise movement thereofand having bendable wings adjacent to the aperture arranged whenbent'out of the plane of the washer to' open or enlarge the aperture topermit the washer to be applied to the pintle and when bent into theplane of the washer to contract the aperture and enter the said neck ofthe pintle to secure the washer in place, substantially as set forth.

3. The combinationwith a chain having side bars-and connecting pintles,the exposed ends of the pintles being formed with reduced necks b andheads I), of securing necks b and heads I), of securing washers forpreventing endwise movements of the pintles each formed with a centralaperture having opposite straight edges, and with bendable wingsarranged between one end of the aperture and the periphery of thewasher, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of two.witnesses.

JOSEPH DIERDORFF. WILLIAM W. WILLSON. Witnesses:

F. R. WIL-LsoN, Jr., CHAS. M. SNInEn.

